Challengers

26 : Between the Lines

Our rank dropped from third to fourth after only getting one point during the drawing relay challenge. Naungusan kami ng yellow team dahil naka-four points sila kanina pero ni hindi namin iyon masyadong pinansin dahil mas importante kina Roi at Arin ang asarin si Zion.

"Gagi, mas maganda pa drawing ng six-year-old kong pinsan kaysa rito," komento ni Roi habang hawak-hawak ang sketchpad ni Zion mula sa challenge kanina.

Arin snickered at him. "Fair talaga si Lord. Akalain mo 'yun, below grade-school level 'yung drawing skills ni Zion."

It was quite refreshing to see them tease the heck out of him while he couldn't retaliate because he was the reason why we only got one point. Kitang-kita ang pamumula ng mga tenga niya kahit na nagpapanggap siyang wala lang sa kanya ang mga sinasabi nila.

"May mga mas malala pa naman sa akin," he muttered while sneakily hiding the drawing pad behind him, but Arin got a hold of it before he could completely get rid of the source of his embarrassment.

"Pirmahan mo nga 'tong parrot mo," she teased. "This is your magnum opus."

Maging ako ay hindi napigilan ang tawa nang makita ko ulit ang version niya ng parrot. I wasn't even sure if that could even pass as an animal.

Habang pinagt-tripan siya ng dalawa ay naupo naman ako sa gilid ng porch. My drawing pad was still with me, and for some reason, the scenario kind of inspired me to draw.

I started doodling them as they continued playing around. It had been a while since I last draw something, but the challenge earlier rekindled the passion I had before.

Medyo natatawa lang ako minsan dahil nagkaroon na talaga sila ng drawing lesson doon sa coffee table sa porch at pinipilit nila si Zion na mag-drawing habang nakabantay ang dalawa. I initially thought that he would reprimand the two, but I forgot that Zion was also stubborn and prideful. Parang gusto niya talagang patunayan na kahit papaano ay identifiable naman ang drawings niya.

"Tangina ka, paano ko 'yan naging kamukha?!" sigaw ni Roi nang ipakita ni Zion sa kanya ang portrait attempt niya.

Halos mamatay na kakatawa si Arin habang sumasakit na rin ang panga ko dahil sa pagpipigil ng halakhak.

Zion placed his art beside Roi's face. "Kuha naman, ah?" he confidently said. "This is already great for a two-minute drawing."

"Mas may itsura pa si E.T. kaysa rito," Arin remarked between her snickers. "Mukhang uod na tinubuan ng mukha."

"Sinasabi mo bang mukha akong uod?!" intoned Roi.

"Ang sabi ko, mukhang uod 'yung drawing ni Zion!" she returned. "Pero go, if 'yun ang interpretation mo."

The three continued badmouthing each other in front of their faces, and I was quite relieved that I was spared from their mischief this time. For some reason, pakiramdam ko ay mas lamang ako ngayon kay Zion at gumanda ang mood ko dahil doon.

"Magaling ka rin pala talagang mag-drawing."

Muntik na akong mapatalon nang marinig ko ang boses ni Brian mula sa likuran. He was leaning from their porch and he could see my art from where he was standing.

Agad kong tinakpan ang drawing ko dahil bigla akong nahiya, dahilan para matawa siya nang bahagya. "But I already saw it."

I cleared my throat as I put the pad down. Hindi ko na rin naman matutuloy dahil sobrang awkward kung may nanonood.

"Congrats pala. First place na kayo ngayon," I said, diverting the topic.

He smiled in return. "Hindi ko rin akalain. Mga artist pala ang kasama ko sa team."